Bleach: The Red String
by Zwinky
Summary: Just a bunch of one-shots that I dabble with from time-to-time! If you just want to read so mushy IchiRuki fics, feel free to drop in. IchigoxRukia
1. Story 1: The Little Things

**This first story is actually a short I wrote a while back, but it reminded me a little bit of Ichigo and Rukia. It's a bit OOC, so please bare with it, I promise the next will be original IchiRuki fics!**

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 _The Little Things_

He walked past her window every day. Not once, but twice; on the way to his destination and back in the afternoon. Only on Sundays did he not pass her window. He never walked at a slow, leisurely pace, either, but rather as if he was late for something.

She always wondered where he was off to, and why he couldn't get up five minutes earlier to enjoy the walk instead. There were days when she wanted to open the windows, let the brisk morning air in, and yell at the top of her lungs for him to do just so, but she never did…

Instead she watched him miss out on the little things in life.

Two months passed where they continued their little cycle of life, one unaware and the other too shy to change it.

One cold morning, the man didn't pass her window.

Rukia leaned forward where she sat, perched in the corner of her little window-seat. Her breath caused the glass to fog up as she scanned the empty street outside. She rubbed at it with her sleeve before continuing her search for the man she didn't know.

Relief flooded through her as she saw the familiar mop of orange hair round the corner onto her street, his hands still desperately tugging at his tie. He looked even more worn-out than usual. Before Rukia could contemplate what she was about to do, she was already reaching for the bottle of water she always kept with her.

"Hey!" she called, opening the window for the first time.

The man came to a stop just before her window, looking confused for a second before he realised she was actually talking to him.

Rukia leaned forward, dipping her arm out the window as she tossed the bottle of water at the man. He caught it mid-air, but couldn't quite keep it in his hands.

Rukia chuckled as the man desperately tried to hold onto the bottle, looking a bit like a clown trying to juggle a single pin. Luckily he didn't drop it, but turned it around in his hand to inspect it for a second.

"Th-thank you!" he called once he was done, looking up at the window for the first time.

Their eyes met, a feeling of familiarity settling over them as neither spoke another word before Rukia smiled and closed the window. The man stood a bit longer before turning to be on his way, the bottle at his lips before he was out of her sight.

He returned the afternoon, empty bottle in hand and waited for her to open her windows once again. She took the bottle from him, wishing him a safe trip on his way back.

This now became their new cycle. He would arrive, late as usual, and she would hand him a bottle of water. He would then return the bottle at the end of the day and neither of them spoke much to the other during this transaction of theirs.

One Sunday morning, as the cold was starting to clear, the man showed up at Rukia's window. He watched her, waiting for her to notice he was there, but her attention was completely drawn to the book in her hand.

Bending down beneath the window, the man waited a few seconds before jumping up high.

Rukia gave a yelp of surprise, dropping her book into her lap. Her hands covered her mouth as she breathed in, attempting to calm her raging nerves. Once her heart rate was back to normal, she opened the window and slapped the man playfully on the shoulder.

"What was that for?" she asked.

"I wanted to get your attention," the man explained, unable to stop a light shade of red from spreading across his cheeks.

"Why would you want to do that? And I'm sure just knocking on the window would suffice." A smile to ensure the man that she wasn't angry.

"To, well, thank you for all the water every morning," the man began, "I was hoping I could take you out for breakfast if you haven't eaten anything?"

Rukia's eyes widened, all the trouble of calming her nerves going to waste. She continued to stare at the man, a smile creeping onto the corners of her mouth. All too suddenly her face became stoic, her eyes dropping to the book in her lap.

"I'm sorry. I can't," she said simply, her voice coming out monotone.

"Oh, of course, you've probably eaten already. What about next Sunday?" the man asked again, clearly believing that his sudden invitation was the reason for her discouraged expression.

"I can't…" Rukia replied.

The man took a small step away from the window, his hands digging sheepishly into his pockets, "Okay then, have a nice day."

Rukia watched as the man turned around, his head hanging low as he walked away from her. She wanted to call out to him, but nothing she could say would make the situation any less sad.

Monday morning came, and this time Rukia felt anxious as she held the bottle between her small hands. Her plan was to continue as normal, but it wasn't to say the man would even stop after the way she let him down the previous day. It was entirely possible than he even decided to start taking another route to avoid future incidents.

No, Rukia could tell he wasn't a petty man; he would show, she just had to wait patiently.

Her window was already open by the time she heard the rushed footsteps round the corner; her heart beating in her throat. Her hand shook a little as she extended the bottle out.

The man came to a stand-still in front of her outstretched arm.

A silent pause settled over them before, to Rukia's great relief, the man accepted the bottle, smiling at her before he took off again. She sat back in her seat, allowing the cold breeze to cool her as she glanced at the man's back.

She waited patiently for the afternoon to come, because she knew the lengthening shadows brought him along with them.

He was a bit later than usual, but came to her window nonetheless. Only this time, when she extended her hand, the bottle was not as empty as she expected. She wanted to ask the man what it was, but he put his index finger up to his lips and said his goodbye.

Nervously Rukia unscrewed the lid of the bottle, poking her fingers in until she managed to grasp the piece of paper between them. As she rolled the small piece of paper open, Rukia noticed that two sides were torn, while the other showed that it used to belong to the corner of a page. A few pencil marks adjourned the torn piece, but nothing recognisable to her.

Instead of thinking too hard about it, Rukia simply placed it in a small ceramic box next to her bed.

Every afternoon the man would return the bottle, and every time Rukia found a new piece of torn paper inside. She looked each one over carefully, identifying what appeared to be parts of a wall, a few bushes, and a fence. After five days, Rukia noticed that they were not simply random piece of paper, but the pieces to a home-made puzzle. With every piece, the picture became clearer, but Rukia was yet to figure out what the relevance was of it all.

After two weeks she could see that it was a drawing of a garden, but with two piece still missing, the centre was yet to be filled.

"Have you figured out what the pieces are?" the man asked one afternoon, not immediately handing her the bottle.

"It's a puzzle," Rukia said, and by the expression the man wore, she knew she was right.

"These are the last two pieces," the man said, raising the bottle so that she could see two pieces of torn paper through the plastic. "Promise me you'll listen to what I have to say after you've finished the puzzle."

"I promise," Rukia said without hesitating, her finger reaching for the bottle. She popped the last two pieces into her open palm, turning her body so that she could place them into their spots in the puzzle on her bed stand. Finally, the whole picture was complete, not a single piece missing.

"This is…" she started to say, her hands coming up to stop the tears that were gathering in her eyes.

"When I first started working, I often had to get up early. I never liked it, felt like it was a waste getting up almost before the break of dawn. A friend told me about this road, said it was shorter than the one that I usually took, meaning I could get up later. That's when I saw you for the first time," the man said, drawing her attention away from the puzzle.

"Every morning, I'd find you in your garden, watering the plants when the sun was barely up. I ended up waking up at exactly the same time, but then I'd sit for a few minutes and try to figure out why you'd get up so damn early just to water a garden.

"It wasn't until I started noticing the little things; how the colours of the flowers glowed when you watered them, or how the lack of sounds made everything seem so serene and peaceful. It was the little things that made getting up so early worth it, even for me after a while."

Rukia wiped at her face. "The puzzle, is it me in the garden?"

"Yes. I tried to remember as best I could, but you haven't been out in the garden for so long… I kept coming past your house, hoping the spot you again, but you never came," the man said, his voice almost sad. "What happened?"

Rukia reached into her pocket, her hand searching until they wrapped around a key. She then pulled it out and handed it to the man. "My room is the first to the left" she added, motioning for him to let himself in.

The man, looking more than a little confused, did as he was told and soon Rukia couldn't see him anymore. She waited until she heard the key slide into the lock of the front-door, the sound echoing through the empty house. The sound was followed by a _creak_ as the heavy wooden door was pushed open and closed again.

Footsteps reverberated off the walls, a sound Rukia wasn't used to anymore. They stopped just outside her door, clearly contemplating whether to knock or not.

"May I come in?" the man asked after deciding not to knock.

"Yes," Rukia answered, swinging her legs off of the window-seat in order for her to face the man as he stepped into the room.

"You want to know why I stopped going to the garden?" Rukia asked.

Then man nodded, not trusting his own words in such a tense situation.

Rukia reached into the shadows to her left-hand side, pulling something out of the darkness and into the light with her.

A wheelchair.

"Can't go outside if you can't walk," she whispered.

The man looked at Rukia and the wheelchair in turn, making the connections faster than she thought he would.

"That's why… and the breakfast invitation as well," he said, or mumbled rather.

Rukia didn't say anything, and the man didn't press her for an answer; her eyes showed that it was still a fresh wound. He wanted to reach out a comfort her, to tell her that everything would be okay, but instead he stood his ground.

"I'm sorry," the man whispered, wishing it would give her at least a glimmer of hope in her darkened world.

He left not long after that, his silent plea still hanging in the air around Rukia, his sympathetic gaze burned into her mind. She didn't want sympathy, she didn't want people to think she was weak, but what else could they think? There she was, a woman living alone in a house, sitting in a window seat from morning till noon. She wasn't exactly the ideal picture of 'trying your best.'

The next morning Rukia was woken up by a large commotion. She turned in her bed, covering her ears in hope of gaining a few minutes of heavenly sleep. After a while it became apparent that whoever was making the noise, didn't plan on stopping soon.

With a frustrated sigh, Rukia sat up. She reached for her wheelchair and managed to pull herself into it. It took her a while to get used to not being able to move her legs, but she knew she'd never be able to truly forget the feeling of be able to walk, of being able to run.

She wheeled herself into the living room, and to the nearest window, but the gap between the window and the couch wasn't large enough for her to fit her wheelchair. Outside, the racket continued, now accompanied by the sound of people talking and shouting at one another. Her irritation quickly turned into curiosity.

Not really caring that she was still dressed in her pyjamas, Rukia unlocked the front door. She had to cover her eyes the moment the door was opened, the early morning sun blinding her for a second. She hadn't seen it in so long, even though it used to be her solace.

The noise was almost deafening outside, and Rukia was anxious to see what was going on. Slowly she lowered her hands and tried peeking through her lashes. It took a second or two, but she was finally able to open her eyes properly, where after she thought that maybe she was still asleep in bed.

Her garden was filled with people. She recognised them as colleagues from her old job, neighbours, and… him.

The man stood among the people, a thin line of sweat showing through the shirt on his back. His garden gloves were stained brown from the dirt, something that could only be accomplished by hours of intensive work. It wasn't only the man, everyone was actively tending to her garden; fixing broken pots, repainting her white, picket fence, replacing dead flowers, and trimming the trees.

She watched in awe as her once proud garden was restored to its former glory, the life returning with every upturn of the soil.

Her neighbour was the first to spot her sitting in the doorway and the loud conversations quickly died down as more and more people noticed her appearance. The man was the last to realise the sudden silence and quickly looked up to see what was going on.

Slowly he turned around, their eyes meeting from across the distance. As if an unspoken agreement was made, the people continued with the task they'd been give; only the man made a move in her direction.

He came to a halt in front of her, removing his gloves in order to wipe away the thin layer of sweat that formed just above his brow and lip.

"Why are you doing this?" Rukia asked, unable to think of any other question. Luckily the man realised she wasn't trying to sound ungrateful, she was simply confused as to why he, and a group of people, were going out of their way to help her.

"You, and this garden, taught me to appreciate the little things in life, this is simply my way of repaying you. Just because you can't tend to your garden anymore, doesn't mean you shouldn't be allowed to enjoy the morning in it," the man answered.

"Turns out a whole bunch of people agree with me, it didn't even take much to find and convince everyone. A lot of them noticed you as well, and they've always admired you for taking such good care of your garden."

"What about your work? You're always rushing to it."

"I think they'll understand, after all, my wanting to see you in the morning is the reason I'm always late."

Rukia stared at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears, but she refused to let them flow. She had nothing to be sad about, and if she were to cry from all the happiness she felt, she was sure to drown.

The man raised his hand to her, "My name is Ichigo," he said.

"Rukia," she replied, placing her hand gently in his; their eyes never leaving one another's. The man's hand was warm, and slightly damp from the garden gloves, but Rukia didn't mind, because the feeling in her chest was overpowering every other emotion.

"To the little things," Ichigo said.

"Yes, to the little things."

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 **I hope you enjoyed the story! Follow for updates on the next :)**

 **Please comment x**


	2. Story 2: The Picture Part A

**Hay guys! Sorry for the late update, but uni's been hectic and I haven't had any time to write. Anyway, this'll be a two part story, so leave a comment if you like the direction it's going in :)**

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 _The Pictures_

She angled the camera, tapping the flipped screen until her face was in focus.

The tripod wiggled slightly, unsteady on its flimsy legs.

Grabbing the little Bluetooth remote, Rukia crawled further back onto her bed, angling herself in a lounging position.

Then in a sitting position.

Then in a crouching position.

Then back into a sitting position.

"AGH!" Rukia exclaimed, slamming her hand into the soft sheets.

"How difficult could this possibly be?" she demanded, but as the camera was her only companion, no one answered.

 _It's just a few nice, sexy photos, why can't I do it?_ Rukia thought as she plopped onto her back. For some reason, she just couldn't figure out a single alluring pose. She had figured simply wearing skimpy underwear would be enough, but apparently the photos didn't agree.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Rukia slipped off the bed, flipping the camera's screen back into place before unlatching it from the tripod. After placing it on her desk, she grabbed a t-shirt and shorts, tugging them over her lacey underwear.

Grabbing the camera again, Rukia made her way to the kitchen; formatting the photos she had taken. If anyone were to see them, she would not be able to live it down.

"I know what you just did," someone announced as Rukia stepped into the kitchen.

"And what would that be?" Rukia asked, looking up at her roommate.

"The nasty," Chihiro said, waggling her eyebrows suggestively, "I heard the bed squeak the whole time."

Rukia placed the camera on the counter, opening the fridge to grab a bottle of water. "Why on earth would I do the nasty on my own when I have a boyfriend that's completely willing to do with me?" she asked.

Chihiro opened her mouth to retort, but quickly realised Rukia had a point. "Where is the blue-eyed moron anyway?"

Rukia threw her a pointed glare of the rim of her glass. "I told you, he's not a moron, he's just a little bit slow."

"Yes, and I'm a little bit blonde," Chihiro said while tugging on her brown hair. "Achira is an absolute moron and I cannot for the life of me fathom why you're with him."

"He makes me happy," Rukia explained, placing her empty glass in the sink.

"But is that enough?" Chihiro pressed on.

"What more does there need to be?"

Chihiro sighed dramatically. "A lot, Rukia, a lot."

Rukia rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't think there needs to be more than happiness."

"Fine," Chihiro conceded. "Are we still going to the bar opening tonight?"

"I forgot about that actually, but I'm still keen," Rukia answered.

"Should I expect the moro— I mean Ichiru?" Chihiro asked.

Grabbing an apple from the dining table, Rukia started back to her room. "No, he has a society meeting tonight." She pretended not to hear Chihiro whisper "Yes," under her breath.

"Why are we doing this again?" Rukia asked as they got out of the taxi. They were only standing near the club and she was already feeling overwhelmed.

Straightening her skirt, Chihiro grabbed Rukia by the wrist. "Because all we do is laze around the flat. Something social will do us good."

Rukia shook her head, but allowed herself to be pulled into the den of smoke and music anyway. The first bar wasn't far from the entrance, so they made their way there before exploring.

"Look how cheap it is!" Chihiro pointed out, practically yelling over the music.

Instead of answering, Rukia pointed to a sign that read " _Opening Day Specials- All Drinks Half Price_." Meaning the bar would probably be more expensive than their usual favourites.

After they had their drinks— no easy feat with the amount of people— they managed to find some vacant booths tucked into one corner, offering a good view of the dancefloor.

As they sipped, both girls scoped out their surroundings; Rukia, having a boyfriend and all, wasn't looking for prey the same way Chihiro was.

"How about that one?!" Rukia asked, pointing to a tall man at the edge of the dancefloor. His movements were smooth, and his thick hair framed a very handsome face.

Before Chihiro could answer, a woman appeared next to the man and they proceeded to give a new spectacle.

Rukia was still looking when Chihiro suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, that one!" She pointed to a tall, dark man moving towards them.

Only, Rukia's eyes weren't on him.

Rukia felt a nudge in her side, but she was unable to pull her eyes away from the black hair man's friend.

Under the disco lights, it was difficult to pinpoint the exact shade of his hair, but there was no doubt it was some shade of red or orange. Something about it transfixed Rukia, clouding her judgement and undermining her self-control.

"Earth to Rukia!" Chihiro suddenly yelled straight into her ear.

Rukia jumped a few paces away, rubbing furiously at her tingling ear. She wasn't mad at Chihiro for almost bursting her eardrum, if anything she was glad, because whatever trance she was under was finally broken.

Chihiro, seeing she finally had her friend's attention again, pulled her dress back into place, "I'm going for it, wish me luck."

"Good luck…" Rukia said half-heartedly, watching as her friend strolled up to the black-haired man with more confidence in each step than most of a small country. She reached the man, looked him in the eye and pointed towards the dancefloor.

The man, looking exceptionally awkward at this point, scratched the back of his neck and said something to Chihiro; Rukia couldn't hear over the music. Chihiro seemed to take it well, meaning it wasn't a rejection. A conversation started, so Rukia shifted her eyes back to the friend. He seemed almost bored, his arms crossed over her chest as he surveyed the room with a scowl.

And then he looked at her.

It took Rukia a second to realise that it wasn't just him, but all three of them as Chihiro was pointing her way. Luckily, they couldn't see the blush forming on her cheeks.

The black-haired man looked at his friend, seeming to ask him something. All response he got was a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders, which clearly meant something to them that Rukia couldn't figure out. With a smile, Chihiro turned on her heal and led the men straight in Rukia's direction.

"They said they're heading to the bar next door, want to go with?" Chihiro asked, bending over until she was right in Rukia's ear— Rukia knew this was just to give the black-haired man something to look at.

Trying her best not to stare at the friend, Rukia nodded, knowing full well that Chihiro might very well leave her in the club if she said no. Silently they pushed their way to the front of the club, leaving through the door they entered less than an hour before.

Once outside, Chihiro began chatting up a storm with the black-haired man, who Rukia sound found out was named Uryū, and his still scowling friend, Ichigo. Neither of them seemed to be big talkers, but Chihiro carried on anyway.

His hair was orange, Rukia realised as they stepped into the dimly lit bar.

They managed to find a small table near the back of the room, tucked behind the half-moon bar and away from the multiple pool tables. A waitress soon appeared, notebook at the ready and a rhythmic tap of her foot a clear sign she was agitated. After placing their drink orders, she was gone.

"So, what brought the two of you out tonight?" Chihiro asked, her question solely directed at Uryū.

Uryū and Ichigo looked at each other, clearly looking for a way to answer the question.

"We figured we needed some socialisation time after being cooped up, studying," Ichigo explained. This was the first time Rukia heard his voice, causing the knot in her stomach to tighten.

"Exactly what I've been telling Rukia here," Chihiro said as she flung an arm over Rukia's shoulders, "if it isn't the new boyfriend then it's her books or training. Honestly, I get tired for her."

To her surprise, Ichigo seemed to take an interest.

"What do you study?" Uryū asked.

"I'm a third-year law student," Rukia answered.

"Which direction do you plan on going into?" Uryū followed up.

"Hopefully criminal law, working with the police force." This seemed to get a smile of approval from Uryū.

"And the two of you?" Chihiro asked.

"Medical students, final year," Uryū said, finishing off the last bit of his drink. He signalled to the waitress, who seemed to be on her third break, for another glass.

Strangely enough, the drink arrived on time. "Any specific direction?" Rukia asked, taking a sip of mine own, half-finished glass.

"Ichigo over there wants to be a paediatrician, and I'd like to become a surgeon," Uryū answered.

"Can Ichigo over there speak more than every ten minutes?" Chihiro interjected.

Rukia couldn't help it, a spark of laugher bubbled out. If Chihiro's comment hadn't irked him, Rukia's reaction sure did.

"Yes," Ichigo began slowly, "he can, but that doesn't mean he needs to."

"Ichigo isn't much of a talker," Uryū explained.

"Oh, like you are!" Ichigo countered. "I'd also be chatty if I was drinking at the rate you are."

"He's got a point, Uryū," Rukia agreed, "You have been laying into the alcohol like a man trying to forget he killed someone."

"Well, not a man, but he sure as hell killed his love-life," Ichigo said.

Rukia's eyes wondered to Chihiro, checking her reaction to see if she was disappointed. To Rukia's surprise, she seemed more interested in every before, but not in the same way.

"Oh, tell us about the girl," Chihiro cooed.

A dark shade of red spread across Uryū's face. He coughed once, finally setting his drink down. "I wouldn't exactly say I killed my love-life, but it definitely is hanging from a thread."

Chihiro and Rukia leaned in, urging him to continue.

"There's this girl, let's just say that we've been seeing each other for a while, but neither of us are exactly good at relationships, so things never seem to progress past slightly more than friends." Uryū sighed. "The other day she gave me a very clear sign, and I screwed up completely. She hasn't spoken to me since."

"Let me guess, you didn't kiss her?" Rukia asked.

Uryū seemed taken aback, confirming Rukia's guess.

"Tale as old as time." Rukia sighed, finishing the last of her drink.

"But the nice thing about a classic, is that you can always save it," Chihiro added, smiling brightly. "Do you want to save it?"

Uryū blushed again. "Yes, I would like too."

"Then start by messaging her," Chihiro commanded.

"Now?" Ichigo asked. "Won't she be bad if she realises he's drunk?"

Chihiro rolled her eyes. "That's why you _message_ her, because calling her would be a very bad idea."

Uryū grabbed his phone, fingers poised to type. "What do I say?"

"Just tell her that you miss her conversations, and that you'd really like to go out some time," Chihiro guided him.

"This is a bad idea," Ichigo muttered.

"Sent," Uryū announced, wiping his hands on his sweater of placing his phone down.

"Now we wait—"

The phone started ringing. All of the, stared at it, and when it became clear Uryū was useless, Chihiro grabbed the phone, Uryū by the arm, and hauled him out of the bar.

Ichigo and Rukia were left staring at their retreating backs.

"I told you it wasn't a good idea," Ichigo repeated.

"What girl would actually call?!" Rukia exclaimed, completely dumbstruck.

Ichigo smiled slightly. "Orihime can be a bit ditsy, so the normal rules don't apply."

For the first time since the club, Rukia regarded Ichigo over the rim of my drink. His attention seemed to be on the waitress, but he seemed almost bored.

As the alcohol finally started to kick in, Rukia's confidence spiked. "So, Ichiru, sorry, Ichigo, do you have someone special?"

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "You hitting on me, shrimp?"

Rukia crossed my arms over her chest, "Not in this lifetime, moron."

Something about Ichigo stirred her up to wrong way, but something also intrigued her.

"Besides," Rukia began, breaking the tense vibe, "I have a boyfriend."

"Then where is he tonight?" Ichigo asked, his eyes searching her face for a reaction.

"He couldn't make it, if you should know," Rukia muttered.

Ichigo leaned back in his chair, "That's convenient."

"And true," she countered, a bit too forcefully.

Before Ichigo could say anything, Chihiro and Uryū returned, carrying two shots each. "The mission was a success," Chihiro announced.

Rukia eyed the shot as it was placed in front of her. Her history with tequila was a shaky one, and she knew that it would be the road of no return if she drank it.

"Bottoms up!" Chihiro called, she and Uryū downing theirs.

Rukia looked at Ichigo, somehow hoping he would say he wasn't up for it. But that wasn't the case, and in the blink of an eye, his shot was upturn, the content gone.

She raised my shoulders, "Bottoms up."

And then things became fun. Rukia couldn't really remember much, but at some point a beautiful, bodacious orange-haired girl joined them. Her name was lost to Rukia, but from the way she stuck to Uryū, Rukia assumed it was Orihime.

"Okay, we have got to do this again some time," Chihiro demanded as they left the bar.

"Definitely," Orihime agreed. She had only had one drink, but it was clear she couldn't handle her liquor.

Rukia, on the other hand, had enjoyed two more shots of tequila, and was now brimming with drunkenness. Before she could react, Chihiro swiped her phone from my purse, handing it first to Orihime, then Uryū, and finally Ichigo.

Once their numbers were inserted, they said their goodbyes. Rukia couldn't help lingering on Ichigo for a second longer, and in her drunken state, she didn't care that he was looking at her as well. And then she was being pulled into a taxi.

The trip home was short and forgetful; Rukia soon found myself saying goodnight to Chihiro and stumbling into my bedroom.

But, instead of taking a shower like she usually did, she stripped down to my underwear and climbed onto the bed. Not wanting to drop her camera in the state she was in, Rukia decided her phone would be a better choice. It was probably the alcohol, but the photos came out perfectly, and she knew she had to send them before I started sobering up.

Selecting the photos, Rukia pulled up Ichiru's number, not even noticing that there were no messages in the chat. She quickly clicked send, watching as the loading bars disappeared one by one as the pictures went through.

Barely seconds later, he came online.

Rukia's heart raced in anticipation, wondering what his reaction would be. When he didn't reply in five minutes, she became agitated, going back online to check whether he was still there.

Then She noticed it.

It felt like the all the alcohol left her system in no time, her head clearing completely.

As if sensing my dread, Rukia's phone buzzed.

"I thought you had a boyfriend?" the message read.

A message sent by Ichigo.

Part A end

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 **Hope you guys liked it, please leave a comment, I'd really appreciate any input!**

 **JoTerry, I hope this is a bit less OOC :) I'm trying really hard to imagine how the characters would act in the situation (especially as we've never seen most of them drunk at all)**

 **IchiRuki 4vr, thank you for the comment! Hope you like this one too!**


	3. Story 2: The Picture Part B

**Hey guys! So, turns out this story is going to be longer than I though, probably three or four chapters. I apologise for the late update, things have just been hectic the last while. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys the second chapter and please leave a review!**

* * *

Rukia lifted her spoon to her lips, hearing the snack, crackle, and pop of her cereal. She could smell the sugar-sweetened milk. Only, she couldn't bring herself to eat it.

Plopping her spoon down for a third time, Rukia groaned loudly.

"What's got you down? Raging hangover?" Chihiro asked, momentarily distracted from her aspirins.

With only a slight headache to remind her of the night before, Rukia wasn't exactly too concerned about her hangover. She had much bigger fish to fry, and one specific fish to silence. Permanently.

"Something like that," Rukia muttered, finally shoving her spoon in her mouth.

Chihiro returned to her aspirins, but the curiosity was radiating off of her in waves.

Rukia sighed. "Fine, sit down and I'll tell you."

As fast as Chihiro could in her state, she flung herself into the nearest seat. She sat, staring at Rukia and swirling the contents of her glass.

"Okay, so you know I've been wanting to send some _nice_ pictures to Ichiru?" Rukia asked. After a curt nod, she continued. "Well, last night I finally mustered the courage to do it, but turns out, a certain someone," Rukia gave her a pointed glare, "saved a very similar name on my phone. In the end, I didn't send Ichiru the pictures."

Rukia waited for Chihiro to piece the puzzle together.

Her eyes widened, lips folding over each other from the effort of not laughing. "No way, please tell me you're not joking?" And then her composure was lost.

Rukia waited for her to stop laughing. She figured it wouldn't be too long before a raging headache started. Sure enough, Chihiro stopped laughing, clutching her head instead.

"Needless to say, I need to sort this out."

"Wait, did he actually reply?" Chihiro asked, seeming surprised.

Rukia unlocked her phone and slid it across the table. Chihiro, being the roommate she was, scanned over the pictures first and then to the single response below it. "You didn't reply?"

Rukia's eyes bulged. "WHY WOULD I!?"

"Well, you did basically send him nudes, don't you think you should at least say sorry?" Chihiro pointed out.

"That's insane! Why should I apologise?" Rukia huffed.

"Well, I'm sure he got just as big a fright as you did, for one. And for another, I'm sure he's also very confused right now," Chihiro said. "At the very least you should ask him to delete the pictures."

Rukia groaned loudly again. "Why of all people did it have to be that orange-hair idiot?"

Chihiro chuckled. "I actually like him."

"Then why don't _you_ message him," Rukia retorted.

"What could I possibly say that would upstage pictures of you in your underwear?"

Rukia chucked a stray piece of cereal at her roommate.

"Seriously though, you need to message him," Chihiro said, getting up. She placed her glass in the sink before heading off towards her room.

Pushing her bowl away, Rukia lay down with her head on her forearms. "I know that…" she whispered.

Pulling her phone closer, Rukia opened the chat again. It's not that she didn't want to respond, but she didn't know how. What could she possibly say that would make the situation any less embarrassing. So, she settled for the only thing she could do.

 _Please delete the pictures. They weren't meant for you._

To her surprise, Ichigo came online almost instantly.

 _Already have._

Rukia sighed with relief.

 _Made a backup on my computer though._

And the dread was back. She stared at her screen, wishing the rage would seep through her finger tips and into the phone. Anything to make Ichigo feel the anger she was experiencing.

 _Ichigo, stop kidding around. I'm serious._

Rukia stared at the screen, this time willing Ichigo to reply. But it seemed that he wasn't intending to, and in her state of mind, Rukia did the only thing she knew was going to work.

Ichigo picked up after the second ring. "Hello, Ichigo speaking."

"Ichigo," Rukia said sternly.

"I'm sorry, who am I speaking to?" Ichigo asked

"Ichigo!" Rukia exclaimed, losing control momentarily.

"From the angry disposition, I'm going to assume it's you, Rukia," Ichigo replied, cool as a cucumber.

"Ichigo," Rukia said softly, "please will you delete those photos."

There was a moment of silence before Ichigo responded. "Depends."

Rukia took a deep, balancing breath, reminding herself that Ichigo was not inside of her phone, and breaking it would not hurt him. Instead she let out the breath, regaining her senses. "On what, Ichigo, does it depend?"

"Whether you can help me out with something," Ichigo explained.

"What kind of helping out would I have to do?" Rukia asked sceptically.

Ichigo laughed. "Don't worry, nothing like those pictures."

Rukia reddened.

"Meet me at the university's entrance tomorrow at nine, I'll explain then." And then the line went dead before Rukia could object. She stared at her phone a few moments longer.

"Idiot," she muttered. She'd barely put her phone down when there was a knock on the door. "Come in!"

To her surprise, it wasn't Chihiro standing in the door.

"Oh, Ichiru, I wasn't expecting you," Rukia said.

Ichiru shut the door behind him, coming over to sit next to her. He leaned in, placing a quick kiss on her forehead. "I wanted to surprise you."

Rukia forced a smile. "That's sweet of you."

Ichiru leaned back, sinking into her stack of pillows.

Pushing Ichigo out of her head for a while, she tried to focus on her boyfriend. "How was your meeting last night?" she asked, wanting to make casual conversation.

"Oh, it was cancelled," Ichiro said simply. "Grabbed a beer with the guys instead."

Rukia felt a pang of hurt, but at the same time, it wasn't the first time he had done this. The best part was that he didn't even do it on purpose— he genuinely never realised what he was doing. Rukia had learned to live with it, but it was one of the reasons Chihiro considered him an idiot.

"Well, that's nice," Rukia replied.

Truth be told, she didn't really care. Sure, she didn't like being a guy's afterthought, but it wasn't like she craved his attention. If anything, she kept him around simply for the heck of it.

"Yeah, we tried a new drinking game where—"

Rukia stopped listening, nodding politely from time-to-time. This one was of the many stories of his nights out, and they all sounded the same.

Instead her thoughts drifted back to Ichigo. She couldn't understand what he was trying to achieve by blackmailing her, but at the same time, her heart fluttered slightly at the challenge. Not much in her life challenged her anymore, and never a man. To a certain extent, Rukia wondered if it was the reason she was with Ichiru.

The again, Ichiru was charming when he decided to be. He still didn't challenge her.

Not like Ichigo.

"Rukia?" Ichiru interrupted.

"Oh, sorry, yes?" Rukia asked, pulled from her mind.

Ichiru eyes her warily. "Are you okay?" he asked. "You seem a bit distracted."

Rukia smiled. "I'm fine, honestly.

"Well, in that case—" Back into his tangent about the guys. At least he tried.

To Rukia's great relief, Ichiru left not long after that. Usually she didn't mind as much listening to him ramble on about himself, but today she just had her mind in a completely other place.

"Goodbye," Rukia muttered, only to be cut off by a fierce kiss from Ichiru. He looked at her, almost hopeful, but she was barely in the mood for him, never mind other things.

Once she heard the front door shut, Rukia fell back onto her bed, again wondering what Ichigo had in store for her.

A very brisk breeze tugged at the edge of Rukia's dress. She had hoped it would be warmer by the time she reached campus, but this didn't seem to be the case.

She tapped her foot in annoyance. It was 9:15 in the morning, and she could think of many other things she'd rather be doing.

 _He said to be here at 9, and then he isn't?_ Rukia thought angrily.

It was a Sunday morning, meaning Rukia wasn't surprised that she was completely alone at the campus' gate. She could see one or two people scurry about in the closest building; probably students who forgot about an essay or test the coming week.

She couldn't understand why he wanted to meet on campus of all places. Surely there had to be a better place? If he just wanted to discuss the photos, why not a coffee shop?

Rukia was considering calling him when her eyes spotted something. Peeking just over the edge of the stairs was a familiar blob of orange hair, bobbing slightly as Ichigo ascended the stairs. She was about to yell at him when he was chest high, only he wasn't alone. Two other heads popped up, one a light brown and the other pitch black.

The trio finally made it to the top. Ichigo smiled when he noticed her, waving.

Rukia stood rooted, surprised to see him smile that brightly. He didn't remind her at all of the Ichigo from the bar.

Finally, Ichigo and the two girls reached Rukia.

"I'm glad to see you could make it," Ichigo said, but underneath his polite smile Rukia heard his glee. He knew he had won this round, but as they say, the war wasn't over.

"Good morning, Ichigo," Rukia greeted back, not wavering for a second.

The shorter of the two girls, the one with the brown hair, nudged Ichigo in the ribs. "Oh, let me introduce to you Yuzu and Karin," Ichigo said, pointing first at the smaller girl and then at the black-haired girl. "My twin sisters."

Rukia's mouth almost fell open. Never mind the twin thing, none of them resembled each other in the slightest.

"Yeah, I know we look nothing alike," Karin explained. "I took after our dad, Yuzu after our mom, and we don't know where Ichigo came from."

"Karin, that's rude," Yuzu interrupted.

Karin simply shrugged. "It's true."

"Anyway," Ichigo said loudly. "They're visiting for the weekend, and I promised to show them around today. I figured a little female help would be better, so I asked you to come," Ichigo explained.

Rukia's eyebrow twitched. He called her all the way out on a Sunday morning to have her play tour guide? If he's sisters weren't there as witnesses, Rukia was sure she'd have done something very bad to the orange-haired idiot.

Putting away all murderous thoughts, Rukia smiled widely. "So, where would you guys like to go?"

Karin and Yuzu's faces brightened considerably. Clearly Ichigo must have told them that Rukia would refuse. That's one point for Rukia.

She soon found her victory wasn't at no cost.

"So, where do you guys want to go?" Rukia asked the twins.

"Sport shop—"

"Café—"

Rukia stared at them, for the first time noticing that it wasn't simply their looks that were different, but their styles were nothing alike either. Karin clearly preferred jeans and sneakers, where Yuzu seemed like the frilly-dress kind of girl. She swallowed, preparing herself for a long day.

"Okay, how about we do some shopping, and when we're tired, we stop for food?" Rukia suggested.

The twins chirped in their agreement. Ichigo on the other hand, didn't seem as though he was intending to voice his opinion at any point in the day. He seemed too busy observing her, but for what reason, Rukia couldn't figure out.

For the next three hours, Rukia and the twins popped in and out of stores. Mostly it was just one of the twins dragging her into one shop, and the other trying to get her out. By the time they chose a café (another mission of its own), Rukia's butt was practically itching to sit down.

"Everyone having fun?" Ichigo asked, a glee expression still on his face.

"So much!" Yuzu exclaimed. "Thank you so much for coming, Rukia!"

"Yeah, brother probably would have had us march past all the stores, grab some fast food and send us on our way," Karin added.

"Hey!" Ichigo countered.

"Oh, come one, Ichigo." Karin rolled her eyes. "We know it's not because you don't want us here, but you're terrible when it comes to female things."

And just like that, it clicked. The reason Ichigo blackmailed her into coming was that she could help him with his sisters.

"You're terrible with girls?" Rukia asked, adding just a hint of condescendence. "You have two sisters and a mother, and you're bad with girls?"

Instead of a sarcastic retort, Rukia was met with silence. She looked around the table at each of the siblings. "I'm sorry, did I say something rude?"

Yuzu smiled sadly. "No, it's not your fault. We only have our dad left, our mother passed away a few years ago."

Rukia could practically feel her foot in her mouth. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories."

"Don't worry, dwarf, it's been a long time," Ichigo said.

Everyone seemed better, but the mood sure hadn't improved.

"Tell us about your family, Rukia?" Karin asked.

"If you want a story to turn the conversation, I'm sorry to say that my family life won't be one," Rukia said.

"Mood's ruined anyway," Karin sighed.

"Okay then," Rukia began. "My parents passed away when my sister and I were very young. We went through a few foster houses, but eventually we got split. After a few years, my sister passed away, but her husband continued searching for me in her place. He finally found me in this terrible orphanage and adopted me."

All three Kurosakis stared at Rukia with wide eyes, clearly at a loss for words.

And then Rukia laughed. "I'm kidding, I just wanted to see your reactions."

Karin and Yuzu chuckled, but Ichigo didn't seem convinced by Rukia's act. He knew better than to believe her fake laughter.

Their orders arrived then, breaking Ichigo's intense gaze.

"Ichigo tells us you have a boyfriend," Yuzu noted halfway through their meal.

Rukia swallowed her bite of salad. "Oh, yes, his name is Ichiru."

The similarity between his and Ichigo's name did not go unnoticed.

"Tell us about him," Yuzu continued.

"Well, he's a really nice guy," Rukis began.

Ichigo snorted, trying to cover it up with a cough.

Rukia ignored him. "We met about two years ago and we've been dating ever since."

This nugget of information seemed to throw Ichigo a bit. Clearly he was under the impression that Rukia and Ichiru weren't anything serious.

"Is he romantic?" Karin asked, an almost dreamy look in her eyes.

Rukia thought about the single-digit times Ichiru had done something out of the ordinary. "He can be, if he feels like it."

"So, no?" Ichigo, to Rukia's surprise, said. She hadn't been aware that he was even paying attention.

Not having the strength to fight a losing battle, Rukia slumped back into her chair. "No, he's not."

Clearly Yuzu had been hoping for a different answer, but she managed to hide her disappointment behind many, many other questions concerning Rukia's relationship. By the time she ran out, Rukia was more than happy to call for the bill and pay.

After thanking the waitress, they left. Karin and Yuzu walked a few paces ahead of her and Ichigo, admiring the things they saw in the shop windows.

"What you said about your parents, that wasn't a lie, was it?" Ichigo asked when the twins were out of earshot.

She knew he hadn't bought her act.

"No, it's all true," Rukia confirmed, not looking at Ichigo's expression. She hated the look of pity she received when people found out about her family history.

"That explains a lot," Ichigo simply said, once again surprising Rukia. He was doing that more than what she cared for.

Rukia looked up, "Explains what exactly?" she demanded.

"Why you're dating a moron like Ichiru," Ichigo said nonchalantly.

Rukia bristled, clenching her fingers tightly together from the sudden burst of anger. But she controlled herself, knowing a reaction was what he was after. "Care to explain, since clearly you know so much about me now."

"Well, you've lost both your parents and your sister, people you were very attached to. From what I've heard, your only real friend is Chihiro and I'm assuming your sister's husband. Clearly you don't like getting too close to people, and Ichiru is as safe as its gets in that regard." Ichigo still looked straight ahead, his eyes not once dwelling to Rukia.

"That's ridiculous," Rukia said, her voice tight. "You don't know anything about me, and don't pretend like you do."

Ichigo stopped walking, forcing Rukia to come to a standstill as well. "Fine, if I'm wrong, then tell me why you love him. One good reason and I'll apologise."

Rukia turned to face him, their eyes meeting for the first time since they left the café. His eyes held hers, searching for any sign of hesitation, any indication that she was lying. But all of his scrutiny was unnecessary, because despite it, Rukia didn't have an answer.

Ichigo waited patiently, but when it became evident to him, he let out a tiny breath. "That's what I thought."

The anger in Rukia turned into resentment, burning in her higher than ever.

They didn't speak again after that, letting the twins' chatter fill the silence. Rukia parted ways with them not long after, insisting that she didn't mind walking back to her apartment alone.

It wasn't until she was back in the safety of her room that she flung her purse onto her bed. Tears pricked at the back of her eyes, threatening to spill over.

She couldn't believe the nerve of Ichigo, assuming things with barely any basis to work from. _He doesn't know me, and just knowing something about my past doesn't change that_ , Rukia insisted to herself.

Only, the resentment she felt towards Ichigo wasn't due to his presumptions, no matter how much she wanted to convince herself of it. No, her resentment was due to something completely different.

Sitting down on the edge of her bed, Rukia buried her face in her hands.

"Damn orange giraffe, why does he have to be right?" she muttered.

Of course, she'd never admit it aloud to anyone.

She was fine, she was just protecting herself.

There was not way she'd be able to handle losing someone that important again. She had Byakuya and Chihiro, that much she could handle.

But that night, as she fell asleep, Rukia couldn't help but wonder how much different things would be with Ichigo by her side.

* * *

 **So yeah, I hope everyone liked the chapter :). I figured, screw it, let's add a deep emotional element to the story to even out the comedy. Please let me know what you guys think about this, I'm very excited to hear any and all commentary!**

 **Guest: Thank you very much! Yeah, for some reason I shifted over to first-person at some point and had to go back and change it all :D I clearly missed some, but I'll fix it when I get a chance!**

 **JoTerry: Thank you for another comment! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well :)**

 **Just shipping: I hope you'll enjoy this chapter too!**


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